Herschelle Gibbs, look away …
Australian vice-captain Steve Smith has been handed a massive reprieve on the final over before lunch on day five of the fifth Ashes Test, with rival skipper Ben Stokes dropping a catch while celebrating in dramatic scenes at The Oval.
In the 66th over of Australia’s second innings, England spinner Moeen Ali ripped a delivery into Smith’s gloves, with the catch ballooning towards Stokes at leg slip.
The England captain leapt in the air and held onto the one-handed chance, with the hosts appealing for a dismissal — but umpire Joel Wilson was unmoved at the striker’s end.
Stokes was initially reluctant to call for a review, but his teammates begged him to send the decision upstairs.
The London crowd erupted when footage of the deflection off Smith’s gloves appeared on the big screens, but third umpire Nitin Menon wanted to see replays of Stokes’ catch.
While the Durham all-rounder threw his arms up to appeal, the ball had slipped out of his hands — and Menon subsequently handed down a not out verdict.
“As Stokes looks to celebrate, he drops the catch,” former England bowler Isa Guha said on BBC Test Match Special.
“That’s why he didn’t want to review. He has lost control of the ball there.”
Former Test captain Alastair Cook continued: “The umpires have got it right.
“There’s no question in my mind. Ben Stokes knew it, he put his head and eyes to the ground. I don’t think I’ve heard the crowd be so quiet during a DRS review.”
To rub salt into the wounds, England lost their second unsuccessful review, much to Stokes’ frustration.
“You could tell immediately from his reaction that he knew he’d made an error,” former England captain Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports.
“It very much reminded me of that Herschelle Gibbs moment in the 1999 World Cup, where he threw it away too early when claiming a catch.”
READ MORE
‘DISGRACEFUL’: Ashes furore erupts after England gifted ‘brand-spanking new’ ball
Law 33.3 states: “The act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder’s person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and their own movement.”
Smith, who was unbeaten on 39 at the time, survived to lunch alongside teammate Travis Head, with Australia 3-238 in pursuit of the 394-run target for victory.
BOTH openers exit early on Day 5 | 00:54
